A clinical trial is also known as an interventional clinical study as it tests out an intervention, which may be a drug, a device, or a procedure. A registry study is also referred to as an observational study. Here, practitioners assess participants based on their existing treatment plan. So, when it comes to the debate on clinical registry vs. clinical trials, we have to dig deeper to see which one works out better for clinical studies.
Registry Study vs. Clinical Trials
There is one major difference between a registry study and a clinical trial. A study does not aim to test out a potential treatment or device. As the name suggests, registry studies are observational. Instead of looking at what it is to be done, they look backward at a treatment, procedure, device or drug that has actually been tested out and used. They do this without dictating a new treatment plan or course of action.
On the other hand, a clinical trial is investigatory in nature. This means that instead of looking at what already exists, it seeks to test a new treatment plan to put into action. So, a clinical trial actually dictates how to do it, while a registry study analyses how they did it.
Which is Better?
Clinical trials are more focused on efficacy, i.e., the extent to which medical interventions can bring about health improvements under the most preferred circumstances. On the other hand, a registry study provides real-time evidence for the degree to which medical interventions prove beneficial in the real-world setting.
For any research to be effective, you must have a clear demarcation between registry studies and clinical trials. This is also mandatory to ensure regulatory compliance. While the statistical analysis of data collected from a registry study is not very different from data collected through a clinical trial, it can be best concluded that both deal with different aspects of a clinical study and may be mutually conducive to devising and continuing good and productive medical advancements.
Since they deal with different facets, they can contribute to the research in different ways without overlapping. A registry study provides real-world data on potential improvements. A clinical trial can use the lessons learned to devise and formulate a new procedure, treatment, and so on.
Therefore, while some people consider registry study redundant, it actually holds its place when it comes to clinical study and research. With a clear distinction between the two, both registry studies and clinical trials can prove extremely useful.
All in all, we hope that puts an end to the clinical registry vs. clinical trials debate.
Need Help Setting up a Registry?
The success of a clinical study depends on the software used for the collection of information. We offer flexible patient registry software solutions that will easily gel with the nature of your work. Easy to set up and adaptable, you can now make data collection easier than ever before with our adaptable software solutions to support healthcare advancements.
